A Flight Plan for the Community Media Act

Abstract

In the design and implementation of public policy, planning usually plays a unique role. Government interventions generally follow a pattern conceived with forethought. In the case of President Hugo Chavez’ Administration (1999 to present), little has been left to chance in the most important impact on the communications sector: the legal regulation, control of broadcasters, the consolidation of public media and sponsorship of community media. As he has been radicalizing his Bolivarian political project, Chávez weaves forecasts consistent communication policy in the content of government plans. The draft Community Media Act is a good example of synchronicity between government actions and communications sector address of the "revolution". The popular initiative for submission of the Act was not spontaneous or its rules respond to genuine community interest.